Control unit for compressor systems



March 14, 1944.

CONTROL UNIT FOR COMPRESSOR SYSTEMS F. BRANDSTROM Filed Feb. 26, 194s lmm Patented Mar. 14, 1944 CONTROL UNIT FOR COMPRESSOR SYSTEMS Fred Brandstrom, Westport, Conn., assignor to Manning, Maxwell & Moore, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 26, 1943, Serial-No. 477,252

12 Claims.

This invention pertains to compressor systems wherein a gaseous fluid, usually air, is compressed by a suitable compressor and forced into a closed receptacle or tank from which it is drawn as needed, the invention relating more particularly to an improved control unit for such a system.

For the safe and proper operation of such a system various accessories in addition to the compressor and tank are required. Thus it is common to provide the tank with a relief or safety valve to prevent accidental excess rise in pressure and with a gauge designed visually to indicate the pressure within the tank. It is also cus tomary to provide a check valve in the conduit leading from the compressor to the tank. In automatically controlled systems, a pressure-responsive switch starts and stops the compressor motor in accordance with the pressure prevailing in the tank and the switch'mechanism also de sirably actuates ,an unloading valve operative to release the pressure in the conduit which leads from the compressor to the tank whenever the motor stops. The tank is also furnished with an outlet fitting (usually provided with a globe valve) to which the delivery pipe is attached, and desirably the compressed air enters the tank through a mufiier device designed to lessen the rumbling noise which is normally occasioned by forcing air into a tank against pressure existing therein.

Customarily these several accessories are separate independent devices and their assembly with the tank necessitates the provision of numerous openings in the wall of the tank, while the mounting of such accessories as are not directly attached to the tank requires numerous pipe connections andfittings. The formation of many openings in the tank wall is undesirable, since every such opening lessen the strength of the tank, and wherever there is a threaded joint, either between the tank wall and one of said accessories or in the pipe connections and fittings, there is'danger of leakage. Moreover, so many independent fittings and elements makes the system unduly costly and cumbersome.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a single control fitting designed to be screwed into a threaded opening in the wall of the storage tank (or alternatively to :be secured to the tank wall by usual flanged connections) said fitting being so designed and arranged as properly to support or house in assembled relation all of the several accessory elements usually employed in the control of a compressor systing which comprises within itself certain of the usual accessory devices but arranged in compact relation so that they occupy less space than when made as independentunits. A further object is to provide such a control fitting which comprises within itself improved accessory devices of simple construction and which function more adequately than similar devices of the prior art. A further object is to provide such a control fitting so designed that it may readily be made, for example, as a unitary casting and which requires a minimum of machine work to complete it and with which the several accessory elements or the constituent parts thereof may readily :be assembled at a minimum expense and by relatively unskilled labor.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation to small scale showing the improved control unit mounted upon a storage tank or reservoir and arranged to receive compressed air from a compressor;

, Fig. 2 is a vertical section to larger scale showing a' preferred embodiment of the contol unit of the present invention mounted upon the Wall of a pressure reservoir;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section, in the same plane as Fig. 2, showing the check valve in a different position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section to somewhat larger scale than Fig. 2, showing portions of an unloading valve structure; and

, Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 2'but illustratingaslightmodification. p

Referring to' the drawing, the numeral l designates a tank or other reservoir for compressed gaseous fluid, for example'air, the reservoir having mounted thereon a compressor 2 of any suitabletype driven for example by an electric motor and which discharges the compressedairthrough a pipe 3 which leads to the control unit 4 of the present invention. This control unit (Fig. 2) is shown as comprising a screw-threaded nipple portion mounted in an opening in an annular pad '5 secured, for example, by welding to the wall of the tank or receptacle l, the latter having an opening 6 in its wall which is coaxial with the opening in the pad 5.

In accordance with the present invention the control unit comprises a casing which as here illustrated is a unitary casting having an elongate upright portion 1 provided with a laterally extem. A'further object is to provide' such afit- 55 tending internally screw-threaded boss 8 which receives the end of the air supply pipe 3 and whose interior communicates with an inlet chamher 9 within the upright part of the casing. The lower wall of this inlet chamber 9 has a delivery orifice l degned by an annular check valve seat II with which cooperates the vertically movable check valve 12 which is housedina chamber IZ directly below the 'valve, seat H. The valve head I2 is flexibly connected (so that'it may seat squarely) by means of a ball joint li to the valve stem l3, the latter passing up through the" inlet chamber 9 and having an elongateguideu, member or plunger I4 rigidly secured to its up per end. This guide member or plunger i4 has a substantially leak-tight sliding fit in ain ielo ngate cylindrical guideway 15' coaxial with the valve seat ll.

In the upper part of the. upright. portion 1- of. the casing there is provided a chambenlfi, Screw.

of smaller diameter than the chamber 2 land co axial with the valve seat i9 extends upthrough the housing l3 to the upper end of the latter and within this passage 23 is arranged a valve stem l9! connectedtothe valvelB-andhaving a head 24 at its upper end. The stem 1 9 is square so as to provide passages extending lengthwise of the stem which'arefreely open at their-upper ends to the atmosphere.

within a hollow substantially horizontal arm 33 integral with the upright portion of the casing. A duct 34 leads from this delivery passage 32 upwardly to a chamber 35 at the upper part of the upright portion of the casing, said chamber being internally screw threaded for the reception of the attaching nipple 36 of a, combined pressure gauge and pressure-actuated switch 3'5. This combined gauge and switch device may be of any desired type (for example such as illustrated more particularly in the copending application of Fred Brandstrom, Serial No. 476,941 filed Feb- .ruary 24, 1943) designed to respond to variations in pressure of the fluid within the container I and, by its action, to start or stop the motor which drives the compressor. Whatever the par- A leak passage or duct ziof small transverse section leads; from the passage '22 'downwardly 'to a'point 23 'in 'thejwall of the g iiidewajy 15 the pemte'ebemg intermediate the upper andlowe'r ends of the g'uidew'ay and 'solocatedthat when the valve l2 isseated againstthe seat 1. i (Fig, 2) the lower endoi the passage 25 is uncovered so as to provide communication between' the passage 22 and the inlet 'c hamber 9, wh'ere'as'when the valve [2 is unseatedKFigpZ) the lower end of the passage 25is obstructed'by the guide or plunger l4 thus cutting off communicatiQn between the inlet chamber Bandthe passage 22.

The bottom or thevalve' chamber I2 is defined by an annular septum Zljhere shown as having screw-threaded engagement with 'the' casing proper, and this'jseptumsupports aj'mufflertubezs whose upper endi's'fri'g'idly' secured tbjthe'sptu'm and which extends 'downwardlyto. a. pjoint".below the lower screw-threadedend nor the casing so as .to project alsubstahti'al distance, intoQtlie container'or tank l'. "The low r. rid of tmsmumer tube 28 is closed, but ad acent. d its lbweifin dlit is furnished with perfdrations 395m its'wallthr0ugli which the compressed air emerges into the, tank I. The tube, 28 i's'i'jsoarranged a'sft'o receive. ailj of the air which passes thrcugh the check vali re orifice'l'fl and to convey such air. down throughthe annularde'livery chamber 3| in the lower. part ticular type of switch which may be employed it is essential to the present invention that this switch comprise a movable actuator pin 38 so arranged as at times to engage, the head 24 of the valve stem I9 of the unloading valve, thereby to move the valve l9 away from its seat (9?. Thus, for specific example, this actuator pin 38 should be arranged to open the valvel9 whenever the motor is stopped by the'operation of the switch The hollow arm 33 of the casing is furnished with a passage 39 terminating i'n'an internally screw-threaded socket which receives the screwthreaded attaching nipple 40 of a safety valve 4| of any suitable type. The arm 33 is also furnished with an internally screw-threaded socket 4 2 designed to receive a. pipe 43, (Fig. 1) for conveying the compressed air from the tank i to the point of use.

Within the arm 33 there is formed an annular valveseat M with which cooperates a manually actuable valve designed to control the deliv-' ery of air, from the tank to thepipe 43. This valve &5 is arranged within a chamber 36 in the hollow arm 33 andhasa screw threaded stem 41 h which engages a threaded opening in a plug 48 of the casing and in't'oth'e tank. Byftheempl oiy nient 'of this mu'iiler tube the noise c isto narily occasioned when compressed air is delivered a s b s s ure nwa ont i r, s r at lessened.

e smile del r cham 1 ha nalral i nsiq at del er eases, 21 formed.

filling an opening in theendwall of the arm 33. The outer endof the stem may be provided with ahan'd wheel 49 for turning it so as to move the valve 65 toward and from its seat 44.

In Fig. 4 there is illustrated a slight modification of, the check valve structure, th valve l2 having the stem [3 provided with the cylindrical plug or guideportion It which has a substantially leak tight sliding fit in the cylindrical guideway l5.' In this instance a passage 25* extends through'the plug l4, from a point 25* at the lower-end of the plug (Where the passage is always open to the inlet chamber 9) to a point 26? in the peripheral wall of the plug. The point 25? is so located that whenthe valvelZ is seated against its seat lithe upper end '26. of the-pas sage-25g is uncovered and opens into the chamber 22, thus providing free communication between the chambersfl and 22. However, when the valve is unseated the upper. end .ofthespassage 25 is obstructed by the wall of theguideway I5, thus cutting off communicationbetween thechambersfi and 22. r

The. operation ofthe deviceis substantially. as follows: assumingithat switch 31 has. closed the motor. circuit andlifted pin 38. away from the head. 24-.ofz the valve stem l9, therebyclosing theunloading valve, and the motor 'is'now operating; thecompressor. is delivering air, under pressure through the pipe 3 into thei'nletchamher 9; and thecheck valve I2 is .un'seatedand restingaagains't a stop member 28% which is formed at the upper edge of the pipe 28; the stop holding the valve head I2 away from the septum 21 so as to insure free passage of air from the chamber I2 to the interior of the mufiler tube 28.

As thus arranged, air will continue to be delivered into the inlet chamber 9, through the check valve orifice II'I into the chamber 12*, and thence through the tube 28 into the tank I, and if the valve 45 be unseated air will pass from the tank through the annular delivery chamber 3I and the delivery passage 32 through the orifice defined by the Valve seat 44 and into the pipe 43. At this time, since the valve I2 is unseated (Fig. 2) the plunger I4 obstructs the lower end of the passage 25 so that no air from the inlet chamber 9 may pass into the chamber 22. The operation will thus continue until, either by reason of the closure of the valve 45 or the cessation of demand for compressed air, the pressure builds up in the receptacle I. When the pressure in the receptacle I has reached the point at which the switch 31 is set to operate, the latter will break the motor circuit thus stopping the motor and at the same time projecting the pin 38'into contact with the head 24 of the valve stem I9 Such action depresses the pin IS and unseats the unloading valve I9. This relieves pressure above the plunger I4 and since-the pressure within the receptacle I is always acting against the under surface of the check valve I2, the latter will immediately seat against the seat II. Since the rise of the plunger I4 uncovers the lower end of the duct or passage 25, the air within the inlet chamber 9, as well as that in the pipe 3, is now permitted gradually to escape through the leak passage or duct 25, the chamber 22, and outwardly through the passage 23 to the atmosphere. Thus, when the pressure in the receptacle I again drops to a point such as to cause the switch 31 to close the motor circuit, and lift pin 38 away from head 24 of the valve stem thereby closing the unloading valve-the motor is now free to start against atmospheric pressure alone, thus avoiding overloading at the start. In a very short time the pressure acting upon the upper side of the check valve'I2 will unseat the latter, thus again closing the passage 25 by the downward movement of the plunger I4, and restoring the parts to normal condition of operation. If, during operation, the pressure in the tank should become excessive, it will be relieved by the safety valve 4|.

The operation of the device illustrated in Fig. 4 is substantially the same as that of the arrangement above described except that when the valve I2 is seated, and unloading valve I9 is open to the atmosphere, the pressure fluid in the chamber 9 is permitted to escape through the passage 25 into the chamber 22 and through the unloading valve to the atmosphere. When the check Valve is unseated the upper end of the passage 25 is cut ofi by the wall of the guideway I5.

By the provision of the device above described it is possible to arrange all of the usual adjunctive elements associated with an air compressor and receiver upon a single support so that but a single opening is necessary in the wall of the receiver. This is a great advantage not only from the fact that it does not require suchundesirable weakening of the receiver wall as is necessary when several openings must be made therein and materially reduces the number of parts, pipe fittings, etc. with attendant reduction in cost, weight and volume of material employed, but it also provides in a single composite structure all of the several elements of which may be handled as a unit; which may be assembled by the manufacturer and adjusted by him; and which may be applied by the user without further adjustment and with the knowledge that when so applied the structure is ready for use and may be depended upon to function without further attention. I

While certain desirable embodiments of the invention have herein been illustrated and described it is to be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of all suchmodifications as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A control unit of the class described comprising a unitary casing having means for attaching it to the wall of a tank, the casing having an inlet and a delivery chamber and an annular check valve seat defining an orifice in the Wall of the inlet chamber, the casing having provision for admittingcompressed air to the inlet chamber and having an unloading valve chamber which at times communicates with the inlet chamber, an unloading valve within the unloading chamber, said unloading valve having an actuating stem, the casing having a duct leading from the delivery chamber and terminating in a socket, and a pressure-actuated switch 113V": ing a stem portion seated in said socket, the switch comprising an actuating element operatively related to the stem of the unloading valve thereby to unseat the unloading valve in response to the operation of the switch mechanism.

2. A control unit of the class described comprising a unitary casing having an externally screw-threaded portion for attaching the unit to the wall of a tank, said supporting portion having an interior bore constituting the body of a delivery chamber, the casing having an inlet chamber and an annular check valve seat defining an orifice in the Wall of the inlet chamber, means whereby a supply conduit may be connected to the casing for communication with said inlet chamber, the casing having a cylindrical guideway coaxial with said check valve seat and leading from the inlet chamber to an unloading valve chamber, a check valve coop-1 erable with said seat, guide means for the check valve arranged to slide in said guideway, an unloading valve controlling an exit to the atmosphere from the unloading chamber, and automatic means for actuating the unloading valve.

3. A control unit of the class described comprising a unitary casing having means iorattaching it to the wall of a tank, the casing have ing an inlet and a delivery chamber and an annular check valve seat defining an orifice in the wall of the inlet chamber, the. casing having a socket communicating with, the inlet chamber for the reception of the end of a supply conduit, the casing having an elongate cylindrical. guideway coaxial with the valve seat, said guideway communicating at one end with an unloading valve chamber within the casing, an unloading valve controlling the exit from said latter chamber, a check valve cooperable with the check valve seat, and a plunger constituting guide means for the check valve, said plunger having a substantially leak-tight sliding fit within the guideway, means providing a duct of small transverse section, one end of which opens into the inlet chamber and whose opposite end is closed when the check valve is unseated, the parts being so designed and arranged that movement oi the plunger, as the-check valve seats, aifords communication between the duct and the unload-ing valve chamber. a V

4. A control unit for use witha compressor designed to deliver fluid under. pressure to a receiver, the operation of the compressorbeing determined by a pressure-actuated switch responsive to the pressure in-the'recei-ver, said unit including a casing having an inlet-chamber whichreceives pressure fluid from the-compressor, a connected checkva-lve andplunger, the plunger having a substantially leak-tight sliding fit in an-elongate guideway'in the casing and the check valve being arranged'to closein response to receiver pressure when the-compressor stops, means actuated by the switch when the compressor is stoppedtoadmit-atmosphericv pressure to act on the free end' of the Plunger,

means providing a duct operative, while the constituting: a. check valve seat, the casing having an elongate. .guideway coaxial with the check valve seat and. one. end of which communicates with the unloading valve chamber, a check valve cooperable with saidiseat, the.

check'valve beingprovided witha guide .element having asubstantially leak-tight. sliding fit ,in the guideway, the casing having a duct communicating at oneend with the unloading valve chamber and havingits opposite end at. a.

the unloading valve chamber when the check valve is seated.

6. A control unit. for use with a compressor designed to deliver fluid. under pressure .to a.

receiver, the operation of the compressorbeing determined. by suitable stop-and-start means, said unit including a casing having an inlet chamber. which receives. pressure. fluid fromthev compressor, a connectedcheck valveand plunger,

the; plunger ,having' a-.substantially leak-tight sliding fit in an elongate guidewayt in the casing. V

and the check valve being arrangedxtoclose in.

response to receiver pressure when the, compres-.

sor stops, means actuated by. the stop-andesta'rt;

meansto admit atmospheric pressure. to act on the free end of the-plunger when the .compressor is stopped, the casing. having alduct leading.

from that end of the .guideway remote from the check valveto apoint in the wallet the guide;- way which is intermediate. the ends of saidplunger, the duct. beingclosedi by. the plungertw-hen the check valve is open, the parts beingso. con-.

structed. and arranged that. the plunger uncovers the end of the .duct. to provide .communi?. cation between .the inlet chamber and that end of the guidewa-y remote from the check valve when the check valve is seated.-

' '7. A controlunit ofthe' class described comprising a unitary casing having means for attaching it to the wall of a tank, the casinghaving an inlet and a delivery chamber and-an annular; check valve seat defining an orifice in the wall of the inlet chamber, the casing having a socket communicating with the inlet chamber for-the reception of the end-of a supply'conduit, the casing having therein an elongate cylindricalguideway coaxial with the valve seat, said guidewa'y communicating at its end which is remote-from the check valve with an unloading valve chamber within the casing, an unloading valve controlling an exit irom said'latter chamber to the atmosphere, acheck-valve cooperable with the check valve seat, and a plunger'constituting guide means for the check valve, said plunger having a substantially leak-tight sliding fit within the guideway, the plunger having a longitudinally extending channel therein leading from that endof the plunger which is nearest to the check'valve to'a point in the periphery of the plunger adjacent to but spacedfrom the opposite end oithe plunger, the parts being so designed and arranged that the latter end of the channel is closed by-the wallof the guideway whenthe valve isuns eated'but is left open when the valve is seated;

8. A control unit for usewit'h acompressor designed to delivergfluid under pressure to a receiver, the operation; of the compressor being determined by suitable stop-and-start means, said unit including a casing having an inlet chamber which receives pre ssure fluid from the compressor, a connectedcheck valveand plunger, the plunger having a substantiallyleak-tight sliding fit in an elongate guidewayinthe casing and the check valve being arrangedtq close in response to receiver pressure when the compressor stops, meansactuated 'by the stop-andstart means to admit atmospheric Pressure, to act onthe free end of'the plunger when the compressor is stopped, the p lunger having a longitudinally extending channel therein leading from that end of theplunger'whichis nearest to the check valve to apointinthe periphery of the plunger adjacent to but; spaced from the op-.- posite end of the plunger, the," parts being so de signed and arranged that the end of the channel remote from the valve is closed by the wall of the guideway when the check valve is unseated but is left open wherrthe check valve. is seated.

9. In combination with afiuid compressor and a storage tank for'compressed fluid, said tank having an opening in its wall; a singlesupport designed for attachment to the tank wall, said support having with-in it a delivery chamber which communicates with the interior of the tank bymeans ofsaid opening in the tankwall; the support also having w'ithinit' an inlet chamber and having provision for connecting directly to it a supply pipe from the'compressor; a-delivery pipe; a pressure-actuated switch; a pressure-gauge; and a safety valve,the s-upport also having housed within it-a check valve' and-an unloading valve, the casinghaving-ducts operative to convey pressure fluid to the delivery pipe, the switch, the gauge, .and the safety-and unloading valves,-the switch .comprisinga movable element operativeat. times to openthe .une.

loading valve. v

7 10. A control-unit of the .class described .com-.

prising a casing including an upright portion provided at its lower end with means for attaching the casing to the wall of a fluid container, the casing also having an elongate, hollow arm joined to the upright portion at a point spaced from the lower end of the latter, the upright portion having therein an inlet chamber and a delivery chamber, the latter communicating with the interior of the hollow arm, a check valve seat defining an orifice in the wall of the inlet chamber, the upright portion of the casing having an inlet passage leading from its exterior to the inlet chamber and also having a socket for the reception of the stem of a switch device, and a duct leading from said socket to the interior of the hollow arm, the hollow arm having a socket in its wall for the reception of the end of a delivery pipe, and a check valve cooperating with said check valve seat, the parts being so designed and arranged that during normal opl eration all fluid'delivered through the orifice at the check valve seat passes through the delivery chamber.

11. A control unit of the class described having a casing provided with a pair oi adjacent internally screw-threaded sockets one for the reception of the stem of a switch and the other for the reception of an unloading valve device, the casing having therein a delivery chamber and a delivery passage leading therefrom, the casing also having a duct leading from the delivery passage to the switch-receiving socket and having an inlet chamber and an annular check valve seat defining an orifice in the wall of the inlet chamber, the casing having therein an elongate guideway coaxial with the check valve seat, a check valve cooperable with the seat, said valve being provided with a guide element having a substantially leak-tight sliding fit in the guideway, the casing having a duct leading from the unloading valve socket to said guideway and having an inlet passage leading from its exterior to the inlet chamber, the casing also having sockets communicating with the delivery passage, one of said latter sockets being designed to receive the stem of a safety valve and the other to receive a delivery pipe, and means providing a duct arranged to receive all of the pressure fluid which escapes from the inlet chamber through the check valve orifice and to conduct said fluid completely through and to a point beyond the delivery chamber.

12. A control unit of the class described comprising a unitary casing having a nipple for attaching it to a tank wall, the casing having therein an inlet chamber and a delivery chamher, an annular check valve seat defining an orifice in the wall of the inlet chamber, the casing having a cylindrical guideway coaxial with the valve seat and which communicates at one end with the inlet chamber, the casing also having an unloading valve and a chamber for housing with the check valve seat, and a mufller tube arranged to receive all pressure fluid which flows through the check valve seat and to conduct it through the delivery chamber and to a point beyond the end of the attaching nipple.

FRED BRANDSTROM. 

